Lawn-mower.



No. 747,758. PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

' R.'K. ORTT.

LAWN MOWER.

APPL IOATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

No. 747,758. PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

I R. K. O'RTT.

v LAWN MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27 1903. H0 MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES i atented Be'e'ember 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,758, dated. December 22, 1903.

Application filed June 27,1903. Serial No. 163,384. (No model.)

To all whom it may cancer-n..-

Be it known that I, ROWLEY K. ORTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading,

' Berks county, Pennsylvania, have invented to Illfikfltfld use the same. 5

This invention relates to certain improvements in lawn-mowers, and moreparticularlyto that type of lawn-mowers employing a reciprocating knife-bar cutting mechanism; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the artin the light of the following explanations of the accompanying drawings, which show constructions merely as examples for purposes of illustration from among other fortns and arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention.

, The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter. Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lawnmower, the handle being partially broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lawnmower, showing the same standing on the rear feet with the handle swung up to a vertical position against the cutting mechanism, portions of the machine being broken away to show hidden part-s. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine, the handle not being shown and the handle-yoke being shown partially broken away. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the frame of the machine comprising the side plates and the connecting cross-bar. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through one of the ratchet mechanisms between the cam-shaft and -a drive-wheel and showing a portion of a side plate and drive-wheel. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation showing a portion of the specti ve view of the u pper rear portion of one of the side frames or plates, showing the easing thereof formed to receive one end pinion of the cam-shaft, the cover for said casing being removed. I

Inthe drawings, ct rep resents the forwardlyexteudingarms of the side-frames, at their front ends connected by and rigidly secured to the finger or guard barb. o is a cross-bar rigidly secured to and connecting said forwardly-extending arms or plates of the side frames. (1 represents small gage-rollers carried by arms e, clamped by pivot-bolts to said portions or of the side frames, so that the gagerollers travel on the ground behind the outer ends of the finger-bars.

f is the reciprocating knife-bar, seated in the finger-bar with its knives reciprocating integral with and projecting horizontally and outwardly from the upper rearportions of the side frames of the machine. 41 represents the two ground and driving wheels of the mower mounted and turning on said hubs and confined thereon by nuts j or other suitable means on the ends of the fixed axle. Each driving-wheel is formed with a lateral'ly-ex- Zis the horizontal transverse rotary cam- 0 shaft passing through and journaled in the rear ends of the sidetrames and at its outer ends having the pinions m loosely mounted thereon and meshing with the internal gears of the drive-Wheels and provided with pawls n,- yieldingly held to ratchet-Wheels 0, rigid with the cam-shaft and arranged so that the drive-wheels can rotate loosely on the hubs The 75 it without rotating the cam-shaft when the mower is moved rearwardly and so that the too cam-shaft will be driven by and rotate with y the drive-wheels when the same are rotated forwardly. The clutch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism just described is the same as that shown in my Patent No. 652,138, issued to me June 19, 1900; but I do not wish to limit my present invention to employment with this pawl-and-ratchet mechanism.

13 is the grooved cam-Wheel, rigidly secured on the cam-shaft and at about the center thereof between the side frames of the machine.

q is the oscillating actuating-lever between the cam-wheel and the reciprocating knifebar. Atits upper rear end this lever is provided with the antifriction-roll q, confined in the groove of the cam-wheel, and at its lower end the lever is loosely confined in an eye f of the knife-bar. Between its ends, the actuating-lever is fulcrumed on a stud of the cross-bar c and is confined on said stud to permit the free oscillation of the lever by a cap and bolt q.

I preferably form the main or rear portions of the side frames of the machine semicircular and arrange said portions at the inner faces or sides of the drive-wheels and occupying the lower halves of the drive-wheels, so that the upper halves of the drive-wheels are open or exposed. I also prefer, although I do not wish to so limit my invention, to form said portions of the side frames with openings and the drive-wheels with spokes. Each semicircular or main portion of the side frames is formed integral with its forwardlyextending arm or plate ct, and consists of the vertical plate or web a having the curved lower edge concentric with the hub h and fitting the plain inner edge of the drive-wheel rim, and the semicircular laterally extending flange a" concentric with the hub h and projecting into the rim of the drive-wheel within the circle of the internal gearing thereof and forming a shield or covering for said gearing to prevent dirt and cut grass dropping into said gearing, the lower half of the gearing being thereby inclosed between the rim of the wheel, the flange a", and the outer imperforate portion of the vertical wall or web a of the main side frame. The forward or front end of the curved flange a terminates in a forwardly-projecting horizontal wall or flange a which closes and covers the front upper end of said space between the wheel rim and flange a". The rear end of the flange ct" terminates in and merges into an inwardly-deflected oifset or continuation of said flange, forming a semicircular casing or wall a, forming a space inclosing the pinion m between said flange, the rim of the drive-wheel, the imperforate portion of the web a, and a detachable cover-plate a arranged at the outer end of the pinion and fitting the outer edge of the flange and removably secured thereto by the screws a or other suitable means. The top portion of the flange or wall a closes the upper rear end of the space between the wheel rim and flange a and covers the top portion of the pinion from grass and dirt. The pinions m are readily accessible by merely removing the drivewheels and the cover-plates a whereupon the pinions can be lifted from the ends of the cam-shaft,exposing the pawls and the ratchetplates. As the upper halves of the internal gears of the drive-wheels are exposed, said gears can be readily cleaned and oiled, if necessary. The side frames are exceedingly strong and durable and inclose the working parts adjacent thereto and yet are light and economical in the quantity of metal employed in the manufacture thereof.

Each plate or forwardly-extending arm a of a side frame has an offset connection with the inner face of the rear portion of the main or semicircular part of the side frame.

At the rear end of each side frame I preferably form an inwardly-projecting lateral boss a through which the cam-shaft passes, and the side frames are formed integral with rearwardly-projecting feet or buffers a preferably merging into saidbosses and having enlarged usually curved outer edges preferably elongated vertically about as shown and arranged a distance in rear of the wheel-rims and of the side frames, so that when the mower is in use said buffers will receive the blow or impact should the mower engage any object when drawn back, and hence shield the wheels and'other portions of the machine from injury. These buffers also form feet on which the machine can rest in the crate when packed for shipment, and hence take the Weight from the wheels, and also when the machine is not in use it can be set up on end, resting on said feet, and take up much less room than when resting down in its normal horizontal position, and at the same time the feet will take the weight of the machine from the wheels and avoid injury to the camwheel by striking or resting on the ground or floor.

As the mower is moved forward the camwheel is rotated forwardlyin the same direction as the drive-wheels and the actuatinglever is oscillated by the rotation of the camwheel to reciprocate the knife-bar. As the lever extends forwardly from the front portion of the cam-wheel there is a tendency on the part of the cam-wheel to depress the rear end of the lever, and hence to elevate the front end thereof, with a consequent tendency to raise the knives from proper shearing or cutting relation with the fingers of the finger or guard bar. I have provided means to counteract this tendency to elevate the knife-bar from its most effective position with relation to the cutting portions of the finger-bar. Various means can be employed for this purpose, but as at present advised by experiment and practical use I prefer to employ a bearingsurface arranged transversely beneath the rear end portion of the oscillating lever to stop and prevent downward movement of the rear end of said lever and yet permit the free oscillation of the lever. I employ the fixed axle g as a convenient support for this bearing-surface and hang the bearing-surface from the axle. The .bearingsurface can be formed by the elongated horizontal portion r of a yoke having upwardly-extending ends or hangers r, the upper ends of which form separable eyes 1", embracing the axle and clipped or clamped thereon and rigidly secured thereto by clamping-screws r passing through the two sections of each divided eye forming the clip ends of the yoke. The horizontalportion r of the yoke is arranged a distance below and parallel with the central portion of the axle and issufficiently long to permit the free full stroke or vibration of, the actuating-lever between the axle and horizontal portion 1" of the yoke. The upper face of the yoke is preferably formed fiat, and the actuating-lever can travel back and forth on said surface to prevent downward'mo'vement of the rear end of the lever; but I prefer in order to :reduce friction to a minimum to.

\ the actuating-lever to bear and travel on said balls and confine them in their raceways. If desired, I can provide means to prevent the rear end of the actuati ng-lever byany accident moving upwardly from the portion 7' of the yoke a suflicient distance to permitescape of said balls. For instance, I showa guard plate or member 25, arranged above the rear end of the lever and transversely thereof and carried by and rigid with a clip 25, extending up to and clamped on the centralportion of the axle by a clamping-screw i. The rear end of the lever will thus vibrate between the lower edge of said transversely-arranged stop or guard 25 and the upper face of'the transversely-arranged bearing-surface of the yoke. The guard 25 and the yoke can be easily removed and'adjusted in case'of necessity and are exceedingly effective and durable and can be manufactured at slight expense."

Any suitable means can be provided to propel the mower, and I show a handle it, having a yoke v at its lower end mounted on the axle, for this purpose, but do not wish to limit my invention to the employment. of such particular-means for propelling the machine. I

The handle of the machine is free to swing to a position approximately parallel with the forwardly-extending arms of the side plates and to or against the cutting mechanism. This is a feature of advantage where the rear feet a are employed, as the machine can be placed in the upright position shown in Fig. 2 and restingon and upheld by said feet with the handle-extending upwardly and folded against the cutting mechanism. The machine can thus be placed in a corner or against a wall and occupy small space, and

danger of injury thereto, which would be probable should the handle rest on the ground .:or floor or extend horizontally from the machine. This arrangement also-permits shipdle operatively attached to the machine.

It is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit my invention to the exact construction shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocating knife-bar, a main axle, a cam-wheel and its driving means, an oscillating knife-baractuating lever, and a stop or bearing device cooperating with the lever and limiting the downward movement thereof and attached to and carried by the axle.

2. A lawn-mower comprisinga reciprocat-.

ing knife-bar, a'rotarycam-wheel and its driving means, an axle and drive-wheels, an oscillating knife-bar-actuating level-between the cam-wheel and knife-bar, and a fixed hearing or stop device secured to said axle and acting on said lever throughout its full stroke to hold the knife-bar down to its seat.

3. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocating knife-bar, a rotary grooved cam-wheel and its driving means, driving-wheels and an axle, an oscillating knife-bar-actuating lever having its rear end confined to and oscillated by said cam-wheel, and an elongated fixed stop member arranged transversely beneath the rear portion of said lever and hung from said axle and cooperating therewith to limit the downward movement thereof.

4. .A' lawnmower comprisinga reciprocating knife-bar, a frame, a-fixed axle, drivingwheels, a rotary cam-wheel driven from said wheels, an oscillating-knife-bar-actuating lever engaged and vibrated by said camwheel, and a yoke carried by said axle and having a transverse portion arranged below.

said'lever'and cooperating therewith to limit the vertical movement thereof;

5. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocatcooperating therewith throughout its full 1 stroke to limit the vertical movementthereof.

6. A laWn-mower'comprising a recipr0cat-- ing knife-bar, a frame, a rotary cam-wheel and its driving means, an oscillating knifebar-actuating lever vibrated by said camwheel, a yoke having an'elongated portion arranged transversely of said lever, said lever provided with a transversely-arranged bearing-surface, and antifriction-balls interposed between said surface and portion of the yoke.

7. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocating knife-bar, a frame having a fixed axle, drive-wheels, a rotary cam-wheel driven from said drive-wheels, an oscillating knife-baractuating lever vibrated by said cam-wheel, a yoke having its ends clipped to said axle and having an elongated portion arranged transversely beneath the rear portion of said lever and cooperating therewith to limit the downward movement thereof.

8. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocating knife-bar, a frame, a rotary cam-wheel and its driving means, an oscillating knifebar-actuating lever vibrated by said camwheel, a yoke having a portion arranged transversely beneath said lever and formed with ball-raceways in its upper face, a portion of the levertraveling on and upheld by said balls, and means to hold the lever to said balls.

9. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocating knife-bar, an axle, drive-wheels, a frame, a rotary cam-wheel and its driving means, an oscillating knife-bar-actuating lever vibrated by said cam-wheel, means limiting the downward movement of the rear portion of said lever, and an elongated guard secured to said axle and arranged transversely of said lever and limitingthe upward movement of the rear end thereof.

10. A lawn-mower comprising a reciprocatingknife-bar, aframe,arotary cam-wheeland its driving means, an oscillating knife-bar-actuating lever reciprocating the knife-bar and vibrated by said cam-wheel, a normally fixed yoke having a portion extending transversely beneath and limiting the downward movement of the rear end of said lever, means adjustably securing said yoke, and a normally fixed guard plate arranged transversely of and above said lever and limiting the upward movement of the rear end of said lever, and provided with adjustable securing means.

11. In combination, a frame havinga fixed cross member, drivewheels, a rotary camshaft and its cam, a cutting mechanism, an oscillating cutting mechanism operating lever actuated by said cam, a stop member arranged transversely of said lever and cooperating therewith to limit the vertical movement thereof, and adjustable means securing said stop member to said cross member.

12. In combination, in a lawn-mower, a forwardly -extending frame, drivewheels, cutting mechanism at the front of the frame, actuating mechanism therefor, said frame provided with rearwardly-extending feet in rear of the mower, and a swinging handle arranged to swing to a position approximately parallel with said frame, whereby the mower can rest in an upright position on and upheld by said feet with the handle extending vertically.

13. A lawn mower comprising cutting mechanism, actuating means therefor, side frames having semicircular rear portions, internally-geared drive-wheels mounted on said rear portions of the side frames and driving said actuating means, said side frames having the lateral semicircular flanges covering the lower portions of the internal gearing of said wheels.

14. In a lawn-mower the side frames, each formed in one piece and having the semiciroular rear portion with the outwardlyprojecting hub, the lower curved edge concentric with said hub, the lateral curved flange concentric with said hub and at its front end terminating in the forwardlyprojecting flange and at its rear terminating in the 0&- set curved pinion pocket or casing having a removable cover-plate, in combination with the cutting mechanism, cam-shaft and cam, and end pinions, the drive-wheels, and oscillating lever. I

15. In a lawn-mower in combination, a frame, drive-wheels, a rotary cam actuated by the drive-wheels, cutting mechanism, an oscillating lever actuating the same and operated by the cam, a transversely-arranged stop member clipped to a transverse portion of the frame and cooperating with said lever to limit the vertical movement thereof, and an adjustableguard clipped to said transverse portion of the frame and cooperating with said lever to hold the same in proper relation with respect to said. stop member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROWLEY K. ORTT. \Vitnesses:

JOHN K. Hrnsrna, WEL. M. LEINBACH. 

